Portsmouth

Portsmouth's population expanded between the last two censuses. Data from the census also show there were changes in marriage, housing tenure and religion.

The population passed 200,000

In the 10 years leading up to 2011, the population of Portsmouth increased by 9.8%, from just under 187,000 to 205,000.

The addition of just over 18,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Portsmouth was home to, on average, 36 people per football pitch-sized piece of land. This made it the South East's most densely-populated unitary authority.

Population density was higher than the average across the South East

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South East, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

A younger Portsmouth

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Portsmouth decreased by one year, from 35 to 34 years.

This city had a lower average age than the South East and remained younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of just under 9,000 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 3,000.

About 19% of people in Portsmouth are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Portsmouth by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Portsmouth

Portsmouth saw the South East's largest rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership.

In 2011, just over 4 in 10 (44%) people aged 16 and over in Portsmouth said they were single, compared with 36% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 42% to 37%.

Across the region, Canterbury saw the next largest increase in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership (from 32% in 2001 to 39% in 2011).

During this period, Portsmouth overtook Reading to become the South East local authority area with the fourth-highest percentage of single people.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was higher than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

More students

The percentage of Portsmouth residents that were studying increased from 4.2% to 6.1% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in two (51%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 54% in 2001. The percentage of Portsmouth residents that were unemployed increased from 3.1% to 4.3%.

The proportion of students increased faster here than the figure for the whole of the South East (from 2.7% in 2001 to 3.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.6% to 3.5%.

The percentage of students in Portsmouth increased by 1.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Portsmouth, the South East and England that said they were in education, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

Portsmouth saw the South East's third-largest rise in the proportion of privately rented homes.

In 2011, just under one in four (25%) households in Portsmouth rented privately, compared with 15% in 2001. The percentage of socially rented homes remained close to 18%.

Across the region, only Slough (from 11% to 24%) and Reading (from 15% to 26%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of privately rented homes.

Every local authority area across the South East saw a rise in the proportion of privately rented homes, as the regional average grew from 10% to 16%.

Private renting in Portsmouth increased by 10 percentage points

Percentage of households in Portsmouth, the South East and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Portsmouth

The percentage of Portsmouth residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 2.7% to 3.1% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 5.4%, while the percentage of Portsmouth residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 92%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 2.5% in 2001 to 3.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

More people worked short hours

Portsmouth saw the South East's third-largest rise in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week.

In 2011, just under 1 in 25 (3.8%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Portsmouth said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.2% in 2001. The percentage that worked over 49 hours in a week decreased from 12% to 9.0%.

Across the region, only Canterbury (from 2.8% to 4.6%) and Southampton (from 2.5% to 4.2%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week.

Every local authority area across the South East saw a rise in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week, as the regional average grew from 2.1% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Portsmouth increased by 1.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Portsmouth, the South East and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Portsmouth residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.8% to 2.0% between the last two censuses.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 0.8%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 1.7% in 2001 to 2.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Portsmouth remained close to 2.0%

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Portsmouth by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Portsmouth

The number of people in Portsmouth that described themselves as having no religion increased from about 37,000 in 2001 to about 72,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 20% to 35% of the local population.

The percentage increased by more than the average across the South East (from 17% to 28%) and the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Portsmouth that described themselves as Christian decreased from about 130,000 in 2001 to about 110,000 in 2011 (from 68% to 52%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation decreased from about 16,000 to about 15,000 (from 8.3% to 7.3%).

Just under 7,200 people (2.2%) said they were Muslim, up from just over 4,000 in 2001 (3.5%).

The population without a religion in Portsmouth increased by 15 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Portsmouth by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Portsmouth

The number of people in Portsmouth from the White ethnic groups remained close to just over 180,000 between the last two censuses. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 95% to 88%.

The percentage decreased by more than the average across the South East (from 95% to 91%), but at a similar rate to the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Portsmouth from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from just under 6,200 in 2001 to just over 12,000 in 2011 (from 3.3% to 6.1%). The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from about 1,900 to just under 5,500 (from 1.0% to 2.7%).

About 3,800 people (0.5%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from about 940 in 2001 (1.8%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in Portsmouth decreased by 6.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Portsmouth by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Portsmouth residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 8.7% to 5.1% between the last two censuses.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (83%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 68% in 2001. While the percentage of Portsmouth residents that described their health as fair decreased from 23% to 12%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 7.2% in 2001 to 4.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Portsmouth decreased by 3.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Portsmouth, the South East and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing household dynamics

The percentage of households in Portsmouth, which comprised one person, decreased from 33% to 32% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under one in nine (11%) households had an unmarried couple, compared with 9.7% in 2001. The percentage of households in Portsmouth which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 30% to 27%.

The proportion of one-person households fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (which remained close to 29%). Across England, the percentage remained close to 30%.

The percentage of households with only one person was higher than across the South East

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Portsmouth with children increased from 28% to 29% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over 6 in 10 (63%) households had no children, compared with 64% in 2001. The percentage of households in Portsmouth with only adult children living with their parents increased from 7.8% to 8.0%.

The proportion of households with children increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (which remained close to 29%). Across England, the percentage increased from 30% to 29%.

The proportion of households with children was lower than across the South East

Percentage of households with at least one dependent child across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

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